Winter Riding Tips Spectacular

With winter approaching and snow flurrys being recorded we thought we’d highlight some of our top tips for battling through.  Pick what’s relevant to you or read them all and become a Winter Warrior, coming out the other end a Summer biking god.

A.    Top Winter Training Tips
B.    Tips For Riding At Night
C.    How To Dress For Cold Weather Riding
D.    Indoor Training Tips


A. Top Winter Training Tips

Winter weather can provide some unique challenges to keeping our cycling going through winter. We’ve now reached autumn, the clouds have come, and it is dark in the morning. Add to this the fact that most of us train for events that are in the Spring, this means we need to just keep going! Here are our top eight tips for training through the autumn and winter:

• Group rides/training partner – it is much easier to get out of bed when it is dark, to go meet someone or a group. It is also much safer to ride with other people in low light conditions.

• Always have a minimum of two lights: one red flashing on the rear, and one white light on the front. Place your rear light on either your helmet, back pocket or seat post. Place your front light on your helmet or handlebars. Front helmet lights are useful for being able to see your cycle computer or heart rate monitor in the dark. 
For more tips see our lights article

• Buy a windtrainer – the most important training principle to ensure improvement is consistency. When it is raining one day, and fine the next, this does not allow for consistency in our training. Windtrainers can help with this by ensuring we consistently tick off each of our days training.
See Article D below for indoor training tips

• Get a training programme – make the best use of your time by getting a training programme, and coach. These ensure you aren’t out in the wind and rain for day after day, without improving. Train smarter, not longer!

• Clothing – there is a range of cycling clothing to invest in to get you through the winter snug as bug in a rug. There is no sense freezing – it’s not fun! Essentials in winter are: a vest to keep the cool wind off your chest, booties to keep your feet warm, arm and leg warmers to cover your skin.
See Article C below for more winter clothing tips

• Train at night – often it is a little warmer at 5-7pm than it is in the morning, so training after work can be easier, as long as you have the determination to ensure it is done. Training in the evening, also helps to leave work on time!

• If you are training for a specific long-distance event make sure you keep training a minimum of two times per week between now and September.

• Set realistic goals based on your conviction to train through the winter. If you want to set a PB at your Summer event then this means you will have to start training very soon. Why? Because it takes time to build endurance, strength and speed to go beyond your previous effort. Otherwise, do the same training for the same amount of time and you will get the same result – not improvement.


B. Tips for riding at night

Riding in the dark can be a tricky business and it pays to be prepared. So we asked a selection of AvantiPlus dealers across NZ and Australia for their top tips to stay safe in the dark

• When riding in a bunch / group and you are wearing a helmet mount light be considerate to other riders! When you want to communicate the potential for either being temporary blinded or temporarily blinding someone else is very high with the end result not being pretty.
• Best to have bar mounted lights to compliment helmet mount.
AvantiPlus Adelaide Hills Cycles

• Put new batteries in your old lights before you go to use them and if the light doesn’t blind you with its brightness buy a new light. At the price of a new light it’s worth the money to be seen!
• With rechargeable lights, it pays to get them out during the summer and recharge the battery once or twice so you get the most from the battery when you go to use it in the winter.
AvantiPlus Central North Island Region

• Have good quality lights
• Open your eyes - use clear eye wear to keep them protected
• Ride familiar trails if MTBing
AvantiPlus Cycology Hamilton

• Modern flashing tail lights need to sit flat facing the traffic for them to be seen effectively. Lights mounted on helmets or on chainstay that do not sit flat facing the traffic are often hard to see and should only be used as a backup to the main tail light mounted on the seatpost under the saddle.

A couple of road tips are:
• Your rear lights are very important to be seen so make sure you have a least 2 in case 1 fails.
• If the roads are wet stay off the white lines - they are very slippery
• Pick your roads (the safe, wide roads ) the shortest way home is not always the best
• If your hours at work are flexible start earlier and finish earlier (for more daylight later in the day)
• Always wear eye protection, especially if its raining, the spray off a damp or wet road can damage you eyes
A couple of MTB tips
• If you are riding off road have a high powered front light mounted to the bike and your second light mounted to the front of your helmet so in the tight switch back sections where ever you look you have light
• If you’re riding off road make sure you have a first aid kit and someone knows where you are
AvantiPlus Unley, Semaphore, Woodville

• In life, we all know that you can't change the past but you can control your future, the same is to be said of lights on a bicycle, a headlight is great for lighting up the future but without a taillight to protect our past, there is no future.
AvantiPlus Croydon

• Wear bright clothing
• Always ride with front and rear lights
• Know the road or trail you ride on before you ride it in the dark
• Help fellow riders miss that pothole or at least stop and help them get out of it!
• Change batteries before they run out completely. You don’t want them to run out part way through a dark ride.
• If all else fails invest in a computrainer and ride your Tour or Trail of choice in the warm, dry lounge
AvantiPlus NSW

• Use Ankle bands when riding on the road. Lights are great for front and rear views but because your legs are almost always moving this gives you great visibility all round
AvantiPlus South Island

• We encourage our customers to have light on bike front and back and F + R on Helmet so you can be seen riding through traffic .
• Always replace batteries at start of winter to maximise effect.
Avantiplus TopGear Cycles


C.  How To Dress For Cold Weather Riding

It’s easy to avoid cycling when it starts to get cooler – “its just too darn cold” we convince ourselves. But if you know how to dress properly winter cycling can produce some of your most invigorating and enjoyable cycling experiences as you’ll be super warm and toasty.  Learn how to dress for cold weather riding from head to toe…

Your Head

Around 1/3rd to ½ of the body's heat is lost through the head so if you can keep your head warm, your body will retain a good portion of its warmth.

â—� A head band is a good way to start to keep your ears warm.  A thin close fitting beanie of synthetic fabric is a good lightweight remedy. A short brimmed cycling cap would also do the trick.
â—� In extreme conditions, a Balaclava pulled down over the head will keep your whole head and neck region nice and snugly.
â—� Wear protective eyewear such as a good pair of cycling glasses that curve around your face and protect your eyes from wind and other elements.

For a selection of caps and head warmers click here

Your Core (Your Torso)

Layering is critical to keep your core (and all it contains) warm and working well. It provides extra warmth and flexibility.  Layering means wearing varying weights of clothing designed to wick moisture (draws it away from the skin), trap heat, and block wind and rain. The overall purpose of this layering process is to trap insulating air between the layers of clothing and hold heat in.

â—� Wear a lightweight garment consisting of a high-performance polyester based wicking fabric, or Merino wool, next to the skin like long or short sleeve polyprops or a specifically designed under layer available from your cycling store.
â—� Next, wear an intermediate garment containing thermal capabilities (polyester and Merino are excellent here as well) which retains warmth while allowing a slow breathing process of the fabric. A polyester riding jersey from your bike shop is ideal – short or long sleeved depending on preference and if you are wearing arm warmers (see Your Arms).  
â—� Then, wear an outer garment which serves dual purposes – to hold warmth in while blocking cold air and keeping the wind and rain out. Fabrics such as Nylon serve this purpose well.  Lightweight wind breaker packable jackets or vests are ideal as you can remove them and stuff them in your back pocket if you need to.  For more rain protection try a shell jacket or seam sealed jacket.
â—� Avoid cotton (especially cotton t-shirts against your skin) – once they get wet they stay wet and get cold.
Your Arms
â—� Arm warmers can be used to keep your arms warm in slightly cold conditions. Arm warmers can be quite useful for days that start out cold and warm up as the sun gets into gear. Just roll them down or take them off and store in your jersey pocket when you get too warm.
â—� On colder winter days wear a long-sleeved jersey (either insulated or not depending on the cold) for your intermediate garment as described above.

For a selection of Base Layers click here

Your Hands

Your extremities are highly susceptible to cold while cycling but you need them to stay warm and mobile so you can control your bike.  Cold hands brake and change gear poorly!

â—� Wear cycling gloves whenever you ride.  They cushion your hands while riding and protect them when (if) you fall off.    They can also keep your hands nice and warm making your riding more enjoyable.
â—� Gloves with full fingers come in handy in the cold season.  In extreme conditions, cycling mittens underneath your gloves save your fingers from feeling like snapping off where they connect to your palms.
Your Feet
Your feet can be a real challenge in the cold – they pedal in circles generating wind chill but don’t do much else.  Numb feet can make a great ride quite unpleasant so they need to be well protected from the cold.
â—� In cold weather riding, put on a heavier thermal cycling sock that wicks moisture and retains heat like socks made from synthetic fabrics. Don't wear cotton socks – they hold onto moisture and will make your feet cold.  Thin polyprop sock liners can also help make cosy toes.
â—� Cycling booties (or toe covers for only slightly cold days) slipped over your shoe are great in cold weather - the thicker the better. The booties are designed so that your pedal cleats still connect with your pedal but insulate your foot and ankle as well.

For a selection of full finger gloves click here

Your Legs

Cold knees are unhappy knees when you’re riding.  You need to keep them warm and lubricated as obviously they are essential to an effective pedal stroke. A good rule is keep your knees covered anytime the weather is below 10 degrees.

â—� In semi-cold weather, ¾ length cycling tights can be worn instead of cycling shorts. These short tights come down the leg just below the knee and serve the purpose of keeping your knees warm without your body overheating. Alternatively, knee warmers, worn in combination with cycling shorts, can serve the same purpose.
â—� Use full length cycling tights for colder weather or if you prefer to be on the warm side
Once you’ve got yourself covered for winter riding you can extend your cycling season to be a four season adventure.  Also remember the basics like a helmet, padded cycling shorts and proper cycling shoes.

Don’t let a cold day keep you in bed or on the couch again.  But here’s one more tip before you get cracking:
If you’re warm before you start cycling you’ve got too much gear on.  You should be a little bit cool because after about ten minutes of your body generating heat from pedalling you’ll heat up nicely.

For a selection of leg warmers click here

D. Indoor Training Tips
 
5 Reasons to Train Indoors
 
If you really can't stand the thought of riding at night then you’ll need a cycle trainer if you want to stay at a good level of fitness over winter. Here’s 5 good reasons why:

â—� You’ll avoid darkness and bad weather: Enough said really. Safer, warmer and you can choose to train whenever you want to.
 
â—� You’ll save time: With a planned programme you can get to maximum training programme in 60 mins and because you’re not spending anytime freewheeling it’s like 90 mins to 2 hours on the road (or trail).
 
â—� It’s more intense: Because you can control your environment you minimise distractions you get on the road or the trail. This means you can concentrate on optimising your effort and heart rate for the session without worrying about cars, potholes, or other road hazards.
 
â—� You can improve your pedal stroke: Doing one leg drills will highlight weak points in your pedalling technique and allow you to focus on and build a smooth and complete pedal cycle.
 
â—� You can improve recovery: At the end of a challenging ride consider jumping on the trainer and doing 20 minutes of gentle spinning at 55% max heart rate. This is superior to massage to clear lactic acid from the muscle and reduces post training stiffness and soreness.



Now we're convinced you that you can't live without a trainer, here are 7 Techniques to Improve Your Indoor Training Sessions:
 

â—� Get some structure in your workouts: Have a planned programme and stick with it.  Also make sure you have a variety of training programmes over time so you’re not repeating the same old structure each time.

â—� Watch your heart rate:  A heart rate monitor gives you immediate feedback on your efforts and is a great tool to give you something other than the clock to think about.
 
â—� Get your mates involved: Have a friend or two bring their trainers to your place or, if there’s one available, get a group of mates together and meet at a local gym equipped with multiple machines.
 
â—� Keep your mind stimulated: You can only stare at the wall or the clock for so long. Get a heart rate monitor, listen to your favourite music, read if you’re taking it easy or watch a movie or Tour stage.

â—� Keep cool: Get a fan to keep the air moving. The movement of the air is distracting (just like real wind) and keeps you cool and comfortable at the same time. Or try riding in an unheated garage, where it is cooler than a house but not as cold as in the elements.
 
â—� Stay hydrated: You’ll sweat a lot more on a stationary bike in a warm room than you will out in the elements so it’s easy to get dehydrated. Make sure you have a full water bottle handy.
 
â—� Get quality gear: Good quality mag rollers and other moving parts are essential to a good indoor trainer as is solid stability. Stability of the trainer is key if you plan on sprinting out of the saddle for a little variety during the session.  Make sure you get a reputable brand from a reputable bike shop and a type of trainer that suits your purpose.
 

For our selection of Indoor Trainers click here

Technique Specific Workouts:
 
If you want to emerge in October/November in cracking shape then check out these indoor training tips for success and technique specific workouts:
 
Tips for successful training:
 
General conditioning:
• Find a resistance-and-gear combination that gets your heart rate into your training zone.
• Once you’ve warmed up, raise your cadence to 90 to 100 rpm, maintaining your heart rate at no more than 85 percent of your maximum.
 
Climbing strength/ big gears:
• Put the bike into a low gear or increase to a resistance that forces you to drop your cadence to about 75 rpm.
• Maintain this cadence for a few minutes and repeat several times during a training session.
• Place a 100mm block under the front wheel to simulate riding up a hill.
• Vary the ride by occasionally getting out of the saddle and pedalling at 50 to 60 rpm.
• Gradually build up to 10 minutes while riding out of the saddle.
Speed work/ anaerobic capacity:
• Intervals on a trainer are just the answer. You can structure interval programs similar to those you use on the road. The key is to remember to not overwork.


Ensure you warm-up for 5 to 10 mins before your main session (below) starts

Intervals:
• Start with a 10-minute hard effort followed by 2 minutes of easy spinning for recovery.
• The next interval should be 8 minutes hard, 2 minutes easy.
• Each hard interval decreases by 2 minutes but increases slightly in intensity with the easy 2-minute interval remaining the same.
• The workout ends when you reach 2 minutes hard and 2 minutes easy.
Speed intervals
• To develop speed, include sprint intervals
• 10 to 12 all-out, 15-second pedalling sprints, alternating with 45 seconds of easy rolling.
Power intervals
• To develop power, try three to six repetitions of three minutes at 90 rpm in a big gear, with three minutes of low-gear spinning between efforts.
 
Progression drills:
• Ride progressively harder gears. Start in a relatively low gear and ride for one to two minutes (keeping the same cadence anywhere from 80 to 110 but the same for the whole workout), then shift to the next-higher gear for one to two minutes, and to the next, and so on.
• When you’re finished with the highest gear you plan to ride, ride progressively back down the gears.
• Riding up four to five gears is enough for a good workout.
 
Heart Rate Zone workout:
• A good workout when you want to do an endurance ride at a specific heart rate zone.
• For example, if you want to work out between 75 and 80 percent of your maximum for a good aerobic workout:
• Warm up for about 5 minutes, starting with low to moderate gears, and gradually raise your revolutions per minute or gearing until your heart rate is 75 percent of your maximum.
• For the next 30 minutes, keep your heart rate within the 75 to 80 percent target zone. The challenge of this workout is to keep your heart rate consistent. If it rises above or falls below this zone, decrease or increase your effort.
• Cool down for 5 to 10 minutes until your heart rate is below 110.

 
If you have read and digested all that and have come away with a new-found winter riding passion then you’ll be ahead of the pack come Summer, riding longer and faster as you’ll be leaner and meaner.